Rockwell Collins radar, choice of Canadian air force fleet, will not impact existing avionics

OTTAWA, Ontario. Aerospace engineering firm Cascade Aerospace (Abbostford, British Columbia) has chosen Rockwell Collins to install a modern weather radar system for the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) C-130H fleet. The radar system will include the WXR-2100 MultiScan and the new MFD-255 and MFD-268 multifunction displays.

The upgrade, say Rockwell Collins officials, will enable a higher level of weather threat detection to help RCAF pilots perform search-and-rescue missions using the C-130, assisting with the descent into visual flight conditions in order to define coastal boundaries or areas of rugged terrain. In its role for the missions for the RCAF, the WXR-2100 will use advanced weather radar technology to automatically scan the environment, analyze hazards, adjust for geographic differences in weather, eliminate ground clutter, and give a simple presentation of the entire weather threat to the pilots during flight. This hands-off approach reduces overall workload, improves situational awareness, and enables the most efficient operation of the aircraft when deviating flight paths to avoid turbulent weather.

“The RCAF is getting the latest in weather threat detection, all while gaining weight and reliability improvements compared to legacy systems,” said Lee Obst, managing director, Rockwell Collins Canada. “As an off-the-shelf, proven solution, it will have a minimal impact on the existing avionics and is an ideal fit for C-130 operators.”